Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-01-29
narm, where others had been killed or

narm, where others had been killed or
hopelessly MANNED.
He had been promoted to be major of
his regiment, and would soon be home to
win back her sweet love. His pleadings
were all in vain. They brought CO.
pious tears to those beautiful sapphire
eyes, but her heart seemed to gain addi-
tional warmth for Murtree, if there was
possibility of increasing her capacity
Of love for the man whom she already
worshiped.
Two months sped by, and with the
love of Murtree and Esther still at fever
heat Walter Lane returned home-came
with his bright officers uniform, and
his poor tawny face plainly picturing
the terrible sorrow that had sunk SO
deep into his heart.
He arrived in early evening, and with
a desire that was irresistible hurried
| from his mothers welcoming kiss to the
house of Esther Carter. He found her
and Mr.. Murtree the sole occupants of
the cozy parlor He was welcomed
frankly by Esther, and spent nervous
hour in answering the many questions
regarding army life. Twice Mr.. Muir
tree, with the kindly breeding of gen.
tleman and a man that feels secure in
ais love, rose to go and leave these
childhood mates for quiet visit by
themselves; but each time Esther be-
seeched him, with voice and eyes, to
not leave her, and he remained. At
last poor Walter was forced to leave
from sheer exhaustion of his bursting
| heart.
| He staggered home, realizing, OIL SO
terribly, that his whole life was in ruins,
and that he he had been robbed by that
smiling, devilish Murtree of all that this
world could possibly give him.
He spent night or untold agony In
the same room that from boyhood had
held SO many golden hours for him.
| The following day he met many of his
old friends, who shook his hand with
such pathetic grasp that he felt they
all knew of the sorrow that was Grazing
| him.
! What painful comfort we derive in
the feeling that our friends sympathize
with us, but through sensitiveness can
not speak.
| In the afternoon with horse and sleigh
and alone, he drove to Brisville, town
fifteen miles distant, where married
sister resided, to take tea and spend the
evening with her.
| By mere chance, we can not call it
strange, it was one of the days that Mr..
| Murtree drove over to his mill at Bris-
vile to pay off his help, and, the sleigh
ing being excellent, Esther had accom-
| panied him as she had often done before.
! 1t was at the time of full moon, and
| Murtree had told Esther that they would
have supper at the Brisville tavern and
| moonlight drive home. Esther had
appeared to the few who had met her
that morning as in a very melancholy
mood-a mood that was so foreign to her
nature as to create great comment, and
was freely interpreted as being caused
by the return of Maj. Lane.
Before starting on her drive she kissed
her mother and younger sister several
times, which was strangely unusual, but
no tears were in the sapphire-tin eyes;
and by the way, how seldom one sees
ears in those strangely colored eyes.
At 10 o'clock that night Keenville was
stirred as by an earthquake. A farmer
had hastily driven into town with the
terrible information that murder had
been committed out on the Brisville pike.
Richard Murtree was found dead in the
snow by the roadside with a pistol ball
through his heart. The fatal weapon,
an ordinarily sized revolver, was found
in the road. The sleigh was overturned
caught in the fence as to hold the horses.
Poor Esther Carter lay entangled in the
robes of the sleigh, raving maniac.
Her beautiful body was like magnifi-
cent tomb which holds only the dead.
Weeks and months of investigation fol-
lowed, but the mystery was never
solved. The only person that was
known to have witnessed the tragedy
was poor Esther, and her reason was
| gone forever.
The investigation proved that Maj
| Lane had returned to Keenville by 8
o'clock, and Mr.. Aaron Vose testified to
having turned into the Brisville pike on
his returning from Flosstown, and SO
passed the scene of the terrible tragedy
after 8 o'clock, and at that time the
road was perfectly clear.
1t was shown that through some un-
known cause Mr.. Murtree had, before
leaving home, drawn 1000 in cash, an
unusal amount, and that he had paid
less than 5000 to the Brissville mill,
still no money was found ON his per-
| son.
In the dress pocket of Esther was
found crumpled letter, that had evil
IDENTIFY been read and re-read; it was
dated the day before the murder and
read as follows:
Miss Carter: This is to warn you
that Mr.. Richard Murtree, who is pay
| ing you attention, is married man; he
| has a wife and three children in Bos-
| ton.
ISigned.l ZONE Who KNOWS"
/ Is it true that wronged woman is
the most dangerous type of human ma
ture?-Ella Wheeler Wilcox in New York
Star.
Aroma of Red Cedar.
The aroma of red cedar is fatal to
house moths; the aroma of black walnut
leaves is fatal to fieas. 1t is matter of
common observation that persons en-
gagged in the business of making shingles
from odoriferous cypress timber in
malarial districts are rarely if ever
| affected by malariaI diseases and that